Harry's Sacrifice

by Bianca D'Arc

  Harry’s smile and wink at Cormac let him know Harry intended the last remark to be humorous. Cormac laughed. Harry’s acceptance—in words and not just actions—meant a lot to Roshin and, therefore, to Cormac. If Roshin wasn’t happy, Cormac wasn’t happy. And he was astute enough with emotion now to realize that Roshin would not be happy unless both men were in her life and happy to be there.

  Too exhausted to do anything other than sleep, the three of them went to bed a few minutes later. They were awakened only a few hours later by an insistent chime from the outer door of Harry’s apartment. Harry grumbled as he got up and went to see what was going on.

  Cormac heard the murmur of voices from the outer room and decided to get up and see what warranted a rude awakening before dawn. Cormac came awake quickly when he stepped out of the bedroom and found a contingent of warriors surrounding Harry.

  “What is happening?” Cormac demanded in a stern voice.

  How dare the soldiers interrupt their sleep and accost Harry in his own home. If this was some attempt by the last vestiges of the Council to quell opposition, they would have to get through Cormac first.

  But when Harry turned to Cormac, he had a satisfied smile on his face. Cormac reevaluated the situation, taking another quick glance around at the warriors. Behind the tallest was a human, who was clearly part of the group. Not warriors, but Zxerah. Cormac relaxed the tiniest bit.

  “While we slept, the city was abuzz. Not just this city, in fact, but the whole Alvian population of Earth. A vote was called for and cast. They have voted nearly unanimously for Hara to lead them and restructure the government as it was in days of old. The High Council is to be replaced by an Advisory Council, like it was back on Alvia Prime.”

  “This is amazing news.” Roshin’s voice came from just behind Cormac. She’d dressed and joined them on silent feet.

  “Agreed,” Cormac said. “But why the early wakeup call?”

  “Hara wants us,” Harry replied shortly, shrugging. “He was awakened an hour ago with the news and has apparently already begun to make decisions and issue orders. He dispatched these Zxerah to wake us and escort us to him in the old Council Chambers. As we well know, that man does not let any grass grow under his feet.” Harry chuckled. “I guess we’d better make ourselves presentable and see what he wants.”

  The single recording device they had allowed inside the outer chamber last night had been joined by several others, Cormac noted. At least one of those little hovering bots had to be streaming live to the Alvian population. Aware of the scrutiny, Cormac said nothing, merely turning to reenter the bedchamber so he could get ready for the day. It looked like this was going to be another long, eventful one.

  By that night, a rudimentary Advisory Council had been created. Surprisingly, Harry, Cormac and Roshin were all members. As were Caleb and Major Rollins. A few of the old Councilors had been found to be without fault and released. Hara had invited them to be part of his new Council, and all but one—Roshin’s old boss, Councilor Markus—refused in shame for having allowed the prior Council to go so far off the rails. They stated their reasons publicly and were hailed as sensible people, respected for their decision to step down and relinquish power.

  Hara’s first executive order was an acknowledgement of equality for humans. He ordered that each and every prisoner’s case be reviewed by legal representatives within the next two days. Those that were found to be non-violent and had committed no crimes were to be freed. Those who had become violent after being imprisoned were to be examined and offered counseling. Those who had committed crimes were to have their sentences reexamined.

  The judiciary was kept busy, but so was the scientific community. In the renewed spirit of openness, Hara ordered that all experimental findings be made available to the public. The details about the Avarel hybrid experiments were being widely discussed as were the findings on the genetic therapy that returned emotion.

  Hara decreed that any Alvian wishing to try the experimental treatment be allowed to volunteer. Names were being taken and induction interviews were already commencing the world over as the lab techs were put to work preparing doses of the gene-therapy skin patches. The substance would be rolled out on a controlled basis and the recipients of the patches would be monitored and counseled at every step, but the amazing news was that over half the Alvian population had volunteered within the first two hours.

  Hara sent out messages to the human settlements through Major Rollins, inviting representatives to peace talks. By mid-afternoon, a well-respected human named General Yeager had arrived, as had Jim, Gina and Grady Prime, who represented the Cheyenne Mountain NORAD installation and all the humans living in those old, underground fortifications all across the northern American continent.

  Peace talks began and lasted until well after a shared dinner had been served inside the Council chambers. Every word was broadcast to every Alvian outpost as a peace treaty was created and signed. Officially, the conflict with humanity was at an end.

  Cormac knew the bad feelings on the human side would linger a bit longer, but at least they’d taken the first step. And speaking of first steps, every one of the winged Alvian-Avarel hybrids had very vocally volunteered to take the skin patch that would return emotion.

  A winged Zxerah who called himself Bill Sinclair had flown out of the wilderness and into the Northern City late that day, gathering a crowd as he flew directly to the Council Chamber demanding to be heard. Hara had welcomed him, and Cormac was unsurprised to see the way the Zxerah rallied around him. Bill, as he demanded to be called, identified himself as Sinclair Prime Past and testified before the new Council about the last assignment he’d been given by the old Council.

  Public sentiment about the attempted assassination of Chief Engineer Davin was immediate and negative. Alvians, on the whole, did not condone secret assassination missions. Such things were thought to be barbaric and inhumane. The fact that Bill Sinclair had opted to flee rather than carry out his mission put him in a positive light and Hara’s decision to forgive his refusal of a direct order was thought fair and just.

  Sinclair Prime Past was cleared of any wrongdoing and welcomed back into Alvian society, but he refused to resume his previous place in the hierarchy—and his name. He wanted to be Bill Sinclair forevermore, and Hara smiled as he acknowledged the change in his name for the record.

  That spurred the new Sinclair Prime and all the other winged Brethren in the city to come forward and demand the genetic treatment. It was a show of unity—a way to stand with their former leader. It was clear to Cormac that Bill Sinclair was deeply touched by his men’s loyalty and bravery.

  By the end of the day, all the winged Brethren had either been treated or were scheduled for treatment when the next batch of the skin patches was prepared. Labs were running overtime to turn out a record number of the skin patches at Hara’s order. He used the winged men’s decision as a way to introduce the idea of returning emotion to the general populace. He’d questioned Bill Sinclair about his time in the Waste among humans and his experiences with gaining emotions.

  Bill’s testimony was watched closely, and while it was brutally honest, it was well received. It was one of the deciding factors, Cormac privately believed, in the large-scale sign-up of volunteers.

  Hara ended the Council session around the time of the evening meal. They’d been going strong since before dawn and everyone was tired. But Hara and Percival were still going strong. They invited Bill Sinclair to dine with them in the lower levels of the city where the humans were still dwelling. It was a party of sorts, celebrating the freedom of the former human test subjects, but Harry was just as glad when Hara excused Cormac, Ro and Harry from attending.

  The vast majority of bots followed Hara, but one came with Harry and his two cohorts back to his apartment. Ro set it to record only while they ate a quiet dinner together in his small dining area. They were subdued, all tired, but there was a satisfaction running through them that Harry could
feel. It warmed him as well.

  Things were happening. Exciting things. World-changing things. Finally. The prophesied time was upon them and things were changing in positive, amazing ways.

  Things in Harry’s life were changing too—in ways even he never could have foreseen. His family had grown. He had found his Resonance Mate, and though he’d had a very hard time accepting what fate had in store for him, he was not only resigned to it now, he was eager to begin their lives together.

  After dinner, they sat in the main area for a while, watching the feed and the general public’s reaction to Hara’s actions. Everything was favorable so far, and many people all over the world were holding dinner parties to commemorate the return of Hara the Explorer to the Alvian population. The Alvian-Avarel hybrids were a novelty that people seemed to be consumed with understanding and learning about, as were the Zxerah. All in all, the response was very positive.

  And now that all Alvians knew of the Breeds’ origins and what that word really meant, they were curious to learn about humanity as well. The prisoners were free, though many had no place to go and stayed in their cells, which now had locks that worked both ways. Others who had specialized skills were offered positions within the cities and apartments above ground among the general population. Families with young children were encouraged to move into open residences above ground in quiet neighborhoods with park areas where Alvian children would play alongside the human kids.

  The next grand experiment for the Alvian population was already underway.

  They went to bed that night tired but happy. And when Roshin turned with passion on her mind to Harry and Cormac, the men were powerless to refuse.

  She settled on top of Harry’s hard cock, riding him for a long, pleasurable moment before bending forward to lie against his chest. He was still fully embedded within her warm sheath when Cormac took up a position between their spread thighs. Harry felt it when he dripped lubricating liquid onto her rear passage. The warming oil slid down to coat Harry’s balls and added yet another layer of sensation onto what was already a mind-blowing experience.

  Cormac prepared her back entrance and then slid home with a steady pressure that Harry felt. Roshin’s sheath tightened around him with the new addition and the sensations were indescribable.

  Roshin panted as Cormac pressed inside her slowly, carefully. She felt the care in every movement, every touch, every slow, excruciatingly sexy motion of his body within hers. And Harry. Harry gave her so much. He was finally open to her—to this—to the idea that they were a threesome and always would be.

  She doubted her life could get any more perfect than it was at the moment with both of her mates inside her, loving her. Then they started to move and she had to revise her opinion. It was even better than before.

  They were both so careful of her, yet so sexy. This was, by far, the most beautiful thing she could ever remember experiencing. The feeling of being cherished by two wonderful men who made her Hum in many different ways.

  She strained against them as they did all the work, sliding in a rhythm they established for the sole purpose of driving her insane with need. She came repeatedly, one climax rolling into the next as she cried out and shook between them.

  And then the pace changed again and she couldn’t think. She could only feel. They increased the pumping rhythm, digging deep and fast inside her welcoming body. It was as if she had been made just for them…and she thought perhaps she had been designed for just this kind of love.

  She had never felt as fulfilled or as needy for anyone else. Could that be a product of her new emotions? She thought that had a lot to do with it, of course, but the main thing was her two mates. They were what made her happy to be alive. They were the ones who taught her body pleasures the likes of which she had never even dreamed. They were her life. Her loves.

  She came with them a final time, feeling them both tense and fill her to overflowing. Cormac preceded Harry into bliss by a fraction of a second.

  It was perfect. It was home.

  She would bask in their love and the way they expressed it through their bodies for the rest of her life. However long or short that proved to be, she knew now she would move heaven and earth to be with her mates, no matter the cost. And she knew they felt the same way.

  Nobody could love her as they had just done and walk away from it. Not even Harry, who’d been cheated out of a human mate. Roshin vowed to spend the rest of her life making it up to him.

  As Cormac levered off her and rolled to the side, collapsing and breathing hard in the aftermath of their loving, she gazed into Harry’s eyes.

  “I love you.” She was warmed by his smile and then turned to include Cormac. “Both of you. Forever.”

  Dreamily, she settled her head against Harry’s chest and fell asleep while he stroked her back in slow motions.

  What felt like only seconds later, but was probably a few minutes’ worth of lazy dozing on Roshin’s part, Harry spoke.

  “I want to take you two to my home as soon as things settle down a bit.”

  “I thought this was your home.” Cormac sounded confused.

  “He means his human home,” Roshin said, smiling and reaching out to pat Cormac’s shoulder. “Your human family has a ranch in the Waste, don’t they?”

  She looked at him with the lazy satisfaction of a well-loved woman and Harry felt the warmth of Roshin’s joy at his suggestion. He was glad he’d made it, just to feel the little burst of happiness that flowed through her. The more he was around her and the more he tuned into her emotions, the more she fed his need for what he’d always thought he’d wanted in a mate.

  “The ranch is great, and I want you to meet my step-mother, Jane, and my father, Justin. Uncle Mick too, and all my siblings. I want them to see how well we get along. I know Jane will worry until she sees us in person. She is a powerful empath. In fact, she could help you both if you still have trouble with any of your emotional integration. She’s really amazing.”

  “I look forward to meeting her,” Cormac answered lazily while Roshin seemed to tense up a bit.

  “What’s wrong, honey?” Harry asked, concerned as he stroked her back.

  “Do you think she will like me?” Roshin nibbled on her lower lip, clearly anxious. It was totally endearing.

  Harry kissed her, just lightly, to stop her worry. “She’ll love you because you complete me, Ro. Trust me. She has the biggest heart I’ve ever known.”

  Roshin seemed to take heart from his words. “I told you before, I want you to meet my family too,” Roshin reminded him. “Although, you’ve met quite a few of them already. Ronin has always been like a father to me—to all Zxerah, really—but he made me feel special. He calls me Rose.” She smiled softly. “It was always nice, but since taking the treatment, the feeling is so much better. In his way, even without real emotion, I know he cares for me like a daughter.”

  “Of course he does,” Harry confirmed. “He feels a little more than the average Alvian. Warriors always have a bit more emotion than regular Alvians, don’t you, Cormac?”

  “I felt…echoes. Before the treatment, it was always just out of reach, but it was definitely there. Now I understand what it was. I have no regrets about taking the treatment, except that I do not have any family to introduce you to. Only my men. My comrades in arms have always been my family. I suppose Cormac Prime would be considered my older brother—or even a father figure, of sorts.” Cormac contemplated the ceiling, his hands folded under his head as he considered his words.

  Roshin slipped off of Harry to settle between them, one hand on Cormac, one hand on Harry, as if she couldn’t bear not to touch them. As if she needed the connection.

  Harry understood. He needed it too. Through Roshin, he was connected to Cormac. He always would be. He’d gained another sibling as well as a mate, it seemed.

  “Don’t feel bad about it, brother. You have plenty of family among the O’Haras now,” Harry said quietly, feeling the true regre
t coming from Cormac.

  “And the Zxerah,” Roshin reminded them. “Don’t forget, Ronin offered you a place among the Brethren when you took the treatment, Cormac. Since you are my mate, you have gained my family as well. We will share.”

  Harry loved the way she phrased it and the openness of her heart. She had as big a heart, in her way, as Mama Jane. Now that Roshin’s emotions had been fully awakened, Harry sensed a deep well of feeling inside her that could encompass him and Cormac and all the family they would share.

  Percival had called Harry’s mating with an Alvian a sacrifice, but it suddenly didn’t seem so bad. No, not bad at all.

  About the Author Bianca D’Arc has run a laboratory, climbed the corporate ladder in the shark-infested streets of Manhattan, studied and taught martial arts, and earned the right to put a whole bunch of letters after her name, but she’s always enjoyed writing more than any of her other pursuits. She grew up and still lives on Long Island, where she keeps busy with an extensive garden, several aquariums full of very demanding fish, and writing her favorite genres of paranormal, fantasy and sci-fi romance.

  Bianca loves to hear from readers and can be reached through Facebook, her Yahoo group, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BiancaDArc/join, or through the various links on her website, www.biancadarc.com.

  Look for these titles by Bianca D’Arc Now Available:

  Brotherhood of Blood

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  Forever Valentine

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  Wolf Quest

  Tales of the Were

  Lords of the Were

  Inferno

  Dragon Knights